INTEGRATED SIMULATION OF CONTROLLERS AND DEVICES

• US 20090089031A1
• Filed: 09/28/2007
• Published: 04/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Rockwell Automation, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Rockwell Automation, Inc.)
• Inventors: Glavach, Mark Anson, Sturrock, David Thayer, Drake, Glenn Richardson, Crooks, Cory R., Palmieri, Frank Anthony JR., Takus, A. David, O'Neill Kolt, Genevieve
• Application Number:
  US11/864,679
• Publication Number:
  US 20090089031A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 703/7
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 17/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/20 Design optimisation, verification or simulation optimisation, verification or simulation of circuit designs G06F30/30

Abstract

A tool for simulating an industrial control system is provided. The tool includes a simulation component to emulate a controller according to a simulated execution environment and one or more simulation models for simulating devices associated with the controller, where the controller and the devices are integrated in a common simulation platform.

Claims

1. A tool for simulating an industrial control system, comprising:

a simulation component to emulate a controller according to a simulated execution environment; and

one or more simulation models for simulating devices associated with the controller, where the controller and the devices are integrated in a common simulation platform.

2. The system of claim 1, the simulation component simulates the devices on a test stand or according to a mathematical model.

3. The system of claim 1, the simulation component constructs and executes one or more simulation models in accordance with specifications set forth by an input component.

4. The system of claim 3, the simulation models are associated with industry models and manufacturing models.

5. The system of claim 1, the simulation component provides a virtual connection interface to associate one or more device models with one or more controller models.

6. The system of claim 5, the virtual connection interface is applied to a device model or device hardware that emulates a device.

7. The system of claim 5, the virtual connection interface includes a discrete point location for one or more devices and an input/output (I/O) location for a controller.

8. The system of claim 5, the virtual connection interface includes an analog data location for a device and an analog data table location for a controller.

9. The system of claim 5, the virtual connection interface includes a parameters location for a device and a set parameters location for a controller.

10. The system of claim 5, the virtual connection interface includes device feedback location and a controller read feedback location.

11. The system of claim 5, the virtual connection interface includes a device configuration location or a controller configuration location.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising an integration data structure for one or more controllers and one or more devices.

13. The system of claim 12, the integration data structure includes an I/O controls location and an analog value location.

14. The system of claim 12, the integration data structure includes a device response location and a controller output location.

15. The system of claim 12, the integration data structure includes device profiles location or a controller profiles location to specify operating characteristics of at least one device or at least one controller.

16. A method for integrating models for a simulation system, comprising:

modeling one or more devices for a simulation tool;

emulating at least one controller in the simulation tool;

providing a virtual interface for the controller and the devices; and

simulating the controller and the devices in the simulation tool according to data supplied to the virtual interface.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising simulating at least one industry model or at least one manufacturing model in accordance with a device model.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising generating emulation data relating to I/O controls, analog values, device responses, controller responses, device profiles, controller profiles, or parameters affecting operation of a controller or a device.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising generating at least one device model configuration command from a controller model.

20. A simulation tool for an industrial control system, comprising:

means for emulating at least one device for an industrial control system;

means for emulating at least one controller for the industrial control system; and

means for integrating simulations of the device and the controller according to simulation data specified for the industrial control system.